


Countdown

by thisislegit



Series: Rough Waters [10]
Category: One Piece
Genre: F/M, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-16
Updated: 2015-01-16
Packaged: 2018-03-07 19:12:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3179948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thisislegit/pseuds/thisislegit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoro retells how him and Sanji met.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Countdown

The New Year’s party took place on the opposite side of town. Ace found another local spot with a large venue with provided catering. Sanji was upset to lose such a large check, but was also thankful for the break. However, he would be seeing if this rival restaurant’s food was up to par with his fine cuisine.

As a surprise for everyone, Kaya, Usopp’s female friend, traveled there to spend the week of New Years with them. Sanji thought she was a lovely girl, quiet, but well-spoken when she partook in conversation.

“I can tell that you two are really close, how long have you been together?” She put a few stray hairs behind her ear.

“Ah, what, like 3 years now?” Sanji playfully shoved at Zoro’s shoulder.

“Almost, it’ll be 3 years in march.”

Putting her chin in her hands she asked, “How did you both meet?”

Zoro sat up a little straighter and gave Sanji a look.

“…all right, you can tell the story this time.”

“Yes! So, I was at the bar with Ace, Franky, and Law when….”

***

_Zoro sat in the gay bar with Law’s friends, nursing a glass of spiced rum. This was the last place he wanted to be on a Friday night. Job hunting wasn’t going well, but Law was sure that he could get Zoro a job at the warehouse he was stationed in. Fat chance of that happening. He’d just gotten off parole and employers weren’t too fond of ex-jailbirds with his complexion._

_A few guys tried to pick him up earlier, and he politely turned them down. He wasn’t feeling it tonight. He pulled out his wallet, counting out the bills so he could leave until Ace whistled lowly at something across the room. The whole table followed his gaze spotting a curvy red-head and her tall blonde friend walking to the bar. Zoro gave the blonde a once over, but couldn’t tell much from the distance._

_“Look at those legs.” Ace was heavily scrutinizing the blonde._

_The blonde and his female friend’s conversation turned intense, she poked him hard in the chest and walked off to the dancefloor._

_Law joined the assessment. “Lovers quarrel?”_

_The blonde’s shoulders slumped before he took a seat at one of the many barstools. It was a few moments before the red head came back with a guy twice her size. She was waving back and forth between the two, but the blonde shook his head and waved him off. The bigger guy didn’t seem to feel bad about it, giving the blonde a pat on the shoulder and walking off._

_Franky joined in. “No, this is definitely something else. First venture into his sexuality?”_

_“Could be.” Law tossed back the rest of his drink and waved for a refill._

_Ace stood from the table with a look of determination. “I’m gonna find out.”_

_When the red-head walked away, Ace made a beeline to his target. Zoro rolled his eyes and knocked back the rest of his glass. Maybe he’d stay to watch the show._

_Ace had taken the seat next to the blonde. The other man flinched but showed no other form of discomfort as Ace chatted him up._

_“Uh oh, red head is coming back.” Law pointed to said person._

_The girl stopped out of eyesight of the two and turned to walk back onto the dance floor._

_“She’s giving him space. Ace is making progress.” Franky rested his chin on his hand._

_Zoro watched as Ace put a hand on the blonde’s shoulder giving him a light shake. The three continued to watch the exchange, and Zoro watched Ace’s hands get lower and lower until it rested along his lower back. The swordsman could tell from the tenseness of his shoulders that the blonde was extremely uncomfortable._

_Going in for the kill, Ace leaned in to whisper something into the blonde’s ear. Zoro wouldn’t have believed the action if he hadn’t seen it with his own two eyes. In a moment, the blonde knocked Ace’s stool back enough to make him fall, caught the edge of the bottom rim around the legs and propped the stool back up before it fell on top of the freckled idiot. The movement was so smooth that Zoro felt his heart skip a beat._

_“Dibs.”_

_Law and Franky looked at him baffled. Ace came back to their table with a wounded ass and wounded pride, but the blonde didn’t even look back at him._

_“He’s a tough nut to crack.” Ace sat down._

_Law pointed at his fellow swordsman. “Zoro just called dibs.”_

_“Dude, you can’t call dibs if I’m already-“_

_“You fucked it up, and you didn’t call dibs before you even went over there. I called dibs.”_

_“…all right, let’s make a deal. If you can get his number, I’ll back off.”_

_Zoro glanced at his watch. “Looks like it’s about that time. I’ll be back.”_

_They watched Zoro head towards the bar, and he sat with one bar stool between him and the blonde. Now that he had a closer look he could see he was really attractive. The guy’s eyebrows were weird. He didn’t think you could even curl those, but his face was perfect. He couldn’t look for too long because the blonde glanced at him from the corner of his eye. The other was covered with his hair._

_“pfft.”_

_Zoro raised an eyebrow and turned to him. “Excuse me? What’s so funny?’_

_“I’ve seen some crazy fashion statements, but you take the cake.”_

_Zoro was about to comment that his clothes were perfectly fine until he realized that the blonde was talking about his hair. “That’s real funny for you to say in your position. Your eyebrows get caught in the blender before you left?”_

_Wait, what the fuck was he saying, he was supposed to be picking this guy up not insulting him. To his surprise, the blonde laughed. God, this guy’s smile was bright._

_“Sorry, I had that one coming.”_

_“You don’t have to apologize….is this your first time here?”_

_The blonde sighed and rubbed a hand over his forehead. “My first time being in any place like this. I didn’t even want to come.”_

_“What made you?” Zoro flagged the bartender and just asked for a beer._

_“My lovely Nami and I were talking when I opened my big mouth and said something I regret. Now I had no choice but to come along with her.”_

_“Nami? That your girlfriend?”_

_“No, she doesn’t see me like that. We’re just good friends, been like that since high school. Ah! I’m running my mouth again. I’ve had too much to drink.” The blonde pushed his half empty glass away._

_Zoro pointed to the barstool next to him. “Do you mind?”_

_“Knock yourself out.”_

_Zoro scooted over, and they sat in silence for a few minutes until he spoke up. “I’m gonna be honest, I came over here with other intentions.”_

_“Oh?” The blonde squinted his eye at him._

_“Yeah. I saw what you did to that guy earlier, and I wanted to know how you learned to move like that.”_

_“That’s it?”_

_Zoro shrugged. “You must be pretty good at fighting.”_

_“I’m damn good at it, but I don’t go looking for them. I’m better at cooking anyway.”_

_“You a chef?”_

_“According to everyone but my old man I am. I work at his restaurant downtown. Right now we’re a three star, but after a few more months of settling in we’ll be back at 5 stars. The only reason our rating dropped was because we were sabotaged by some lackey at an opposing restaurant. I don’t even know how he got in th- Fuck. I’m sorry, I’m rambling again.”_

_“No it’s fine, it’s cute.”_

_The blonde blushed and grabbed his glass. The ice was long gone. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not gay.”_

_“Cool, neither am I.”_

_“You’re straight?”_

_“Nope.” Zoro finished the last of his beer._

_“Bi?”_

_“Contrary to popular belief, there are more than 3 sexualities. The point is, I don’t care about the sex or gender of my partner. It’s called pansexuality.”_

_“That’s a thing?”_

_“Yes.”_

_The blonde seemed to be contemplating the idea. Zoro wasn’t sure if he was making progress or not, but he spotted the red head looking at them from the corner of his eye. He didn’t need her swooping in before he even made a move. “I didn’t catch your name.”_

_The blonde snapped out of his thoughts. “What? Oh, it’s Sanji.”_

_“Sanji, that sounds nice.” Zoro leaned his cheek on his hand and gave him a lazy smile._

_“Thanks, what’s yours?”_

_“Guess.”_

_Sanji had a small smile on his face and a gleam in his eye. “Is it Grinch?”_

_“Haha, my sides are splitting. No. Want a hint?” When the other nodded he said, “He’s a swordsman.”_

_“Hmmm, gimme another hint.”_

_“He stars in his own movie.”_

_Sanji sipped at his drink and licked at the liquid left on his lips. “Gimme another.”_

_“He likes cutting the letter of his first name into things.”_

_“Zoro?”_

_“Ding ding ding.”_

_Sanji was laughing much harder than before. Zoro felt a small laugh bubble up from his chest. Hook, line, and sinker. Looking over, he saw the red head staring right at him. She smiled, pointed a finger at him, and then dragged it along her neck in a slicing gesture. He was going to assume he just got her blessing, or a death threat. He hoped it was the first one._

_Once Sanji caught his breath, they engaged in conversation again. Zoro only let bits of information slip out about himself. He couldn’t make a bad impression this early on someone who wasn’t even sure if they liked men. Letting Sanji dominate the conversation, Zoro skillfully maneuvered past answering any questions relating to his history. He has his own place. He had to drop out of school because of money, but he’d go back if he could. His friend is fixing up his motorcycle so until a later date he’s hitching rides to and from interviews. His last job found out he didn’t have a degree and let him go. Lie a little to get ahead._

_Surprisingly Sanji was just as tight lipped about his history. He didn’t really care for college. His high school career was all right. He run’s a restaurant with his guardian. Nami’s just a friend. No information about past relationships was revealed, and he didn’t experiment._

_“So, what did you say that forced you to come here with her?”_

_Sanji sucked in a breath through his teeth. “It wasn’t really one specific thing according to her. I just know we were talking about her asking one of our female friends out, and I said I don’t know, I wouldn’t know how to ask someone out if I were in that position. Then she twists the conversation, and here I am.”_

_“I see.” Zoro straightened his jacket._

_“Sorry if I led you on or anything.”_

_“You didn’t do that, you told me you weren’t into guys, and we were just making conversation. Simple, as that.” Zoro took out his wallet, counting the amount of bills out._

_“I didn’t-“ Sanji took his hand back realizing that he’d made an attempt to stop the other man._

_“…you didn’t what?”_

_Sanji bit his lip._

_“Okay, I guess we’ll leave it at that. It was nice meeting you.” Zoro stood up, but couldn’t walk away because Sanji had grabbed the hem of his jacket. “Yes?”_

_“Gimme your arm.” Sanji’s face was several shades pinker._

_Zoro did as he was told and found his sleeve being pushed back. Sanji grabbed a pen from a cup on the bar, and wrote something onto his wrist._

_“I didn’t say I wasn’t into guys, I just said I wasn’t gay.” Sanji didn’t look up at him until he was done writing._

_Zoro watched him blow lightly to let the ink set before Sanji let go of his arm. Lifting up his wrist was Sanji’s name and number written in a curvy font._

_“So, call me, sometime, maybe.”_

_Zoro took Sanji’s hand, kissed the back of his palm, and grinned against the skin. “I will.”_

***

“And then you were never that romantic about anything ever again.” Sanji crossed his arms, glaring at the swordsman.

Zoro gave him a bored look. “Not true. What about that time I got that ensemble to perform at the Baratie?”

“That was a favor, it doesn’t count.”

“That’s not what you were saying when we got home and you-mmph!”

Sanji had shoved a roll into Zoro’s mouth. “Anyway, that’s how we met. The fact that Zoro _lied_ to me about several things caused some fissures when our relationship was developing, but we managed to get through them. I regret it every day.”

Kaya clapped her hands together. “That’s so romantic.”

Zoro finished the roll. “Maybe you should save that regret after you’re Mr. Roro-“

“Don’t make me kick your ass in front of the lady, shithead.” Sanji gave him a nasty look.

“As if you could even get your feet off the ground before I beat you, dartboard brow.”

“Dumbass.”

“Pervert.”

“Jerkfuck!”

“Shitbag!”

Usopp seeing the argument for what is was, gently led Kaya away to talk to their other friends.

The argument between the two fizzled out once the countdown began. Zoro grabbed his hand, and they sat close enough that their sides touched from the shoulders to their feet. As the ball began to drop, Sanji rested his head on his shoulder and sighed.

“What’s your resolution for the new year?” Zoro pressed a kiss against his hair.

“To survive another year with you and your dumb antics. You?”

“Same, only with you and yours.” Zoro lifted Sanji’s hand and kissed the back of his palm like he did each year prior.

“Maybe you can be a little romantic, sometimes.” Sanji lifted his head and smiled at him.

Zoro kissed him once the count ended. Sanji leaned into the soft pressing of lips and felt a shiver run down his spine. Zoro’s mouth was always so warm that he didn’t want to stop kissing him if he didn’t have to breathe.

Pulling away first, Sanji gave him a dreamy smile. “Happy new year, marimo.”

Zoro returned the smile. “Happy new year, love cook.”

**Author's Note:**

> wasnt able to update my incubus fic today so have this sloppy story i wrote for new years


End file.
